


When I say Frog

by delphia2000



Series: The Snow Series [5]
Category: Kung Fu: The Legend Continues
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-05-25
Updated: 2010-05-25
Packaged: 2017-10-09 17:21:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/89813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delphia2000/pseuds/delphia2000
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The ladies of the Precinct discover that Snow is not a door mat just because she obeys her husband. Living with an ex-merc is dangerous!</p>
            </blockquote>





	When I say Frog

The street fair was in full swing by the time the Corvair pulled up to a 'No Parking' zone. Flashing his badge at the uniformed rookie was enough to get them in without further delay.

"I'm starved," Snow complained as they slipped thorough the throng of people who were watching a small parade, led by a fantastical dancing lion. "You promised me dinner."

"Down this way," Kermit gestured, "Just look for Blake--that'll be the food booths."

They headed down the crowded street, ducking under varied banners and lanterns. Some businesses had put out their colored Christmas lights to add to the festive decor. Delicious odors scented the freshening breeze and Snow sniffed appreciatively as she zipped up her jacket. "Cold?" he asked, dropping her hand to put his arm around her shoulders.

"Not really. More like tired. Not that I don't love street fairs, but I'd rather be home in bed right now. It was a long day."

He hugged her gently. "We don't have to stay long. Just need to make an appearance. The Ancient would be disappointed if we didn't at least show up."

"I know. So, what did we get him for his birthday?"

Kermit pulled a gaily wrapped packet from his pocket. "Herbs. Very rare. Don't have a clue what they're for but I was assured by a friend of his in China they'll be appreciated. Oh, damn. Look out, Cruise Gossip Missile at 2 o'clock, heading this way."

Snow caught sight of Mary Margaret Skalany making her way across the street towards them with Jody Powell in tow. "Hi, kids!" she called gaily.

Snow smiled and waved, stopping Kermit with a gentle tug. "Behave," she admonished.

They waited until the two joined them. "Good evening, ladies. Lovely spring weather we're having this evening."

The two detectives probably didn't notice that Kermit's voice had dropped a level or two, deepening in a slightly mocking tone. Snow did, however, and elbowed him discreetly.

"It certainly is! I think the Ancient must have had words with the weatherman to get all that rain we've had to clear up for the evening. There are even see a few stars out now," Skalany bubbled.

Kermit mumbled something that Snow thought might have been 'Shambhala bastards,' but she wasn't sure since he covered it with a discreet cough.

Jody's demeanor was a bit more restrained than her partner's. "Hi, Snow. Just get off work?"

Snow nodded. "Yes. They've got me on a week of swing shift, afternoon-early evenings. Where's Peter tonight?"

Jody tilted her head back down the way they'd just come. "Down there at the reviewing stand with Lo Si. Doing his Shaolin priest for Chinatown thing."

"We should get down there and deliver the Ancient's birthday gift," Kermit suggested, not too subtly.

"Not until you feed me," Snow insisted. "Once we find the Ancient, he'll talk our ears off and I missed lunch. Work was insane today. I can't understand why we had so many nutcases in one day."

"Full moon," Mary Margaret informed, as she pointed up, "Brings out all the crazies."

"That would explain why you're out tonight?" Kermit asked.

Skalany smirked at him as Jody snorted. "Cute, Griffin. We're on duty. Undercover, so to speak."

"I see. And the outfit?" he asked, looking over his glasses at her bright yellow cheongsam. "Camouflage?"

She adopted a pose for his benefit, flashing a friendly amount of shapely thigh. "No, I just saw this at one of the booths earlier and liked it. What do you think?"

"I think I'm married and have no opinion. If I were not, I would ask where you're hiding your gun," he answered her, smiling again, this time at Snow. "Stay put, babe. I'll be right back."

As he walked off without waiting for any further discussion, Jody and Mary Margaret exchanged a look. "Does he always order you around like that?" Skalany asked. "If that's not too personal..."

Snow laughed at the idea Skalany was concerned that she might be asking too personal a question. The curious detective had asked her far more than that in the past, but the normally open Snow had held her husband's confidences close. "As a matter of fact, yes. All the time. I know the polite non sequiturs are implied."

"I don't get it, Snow," Jody said. "You're an intelligent, modern woman. Why do you put up with all that 'jump when I say frog' stuff?"

Snow answered, "It's part of what makes the relationship work, I guess. Besides, at our age, we don't have time to waste with unnecessary things."

"I'd hardly call manners unnecessary," Skalany offered, "especially between a husband and a wife."

Snow shrugged. There was no explaining the special relationship she shared with Kermit. Eying Skalany's dress, she asked, "How far away is the booth where you got that?"

Mary Margaret looked past Snow's shoulder in the direction they'd come from. "About three or four booths back that way. I think."

"Any chance they had a black one? In say, a large? I'm sure compared to those Asian gals, I'm a large at least."

"In that case, I'd probably need size elephant extra," Jody commented.

"Not hardly, Powell," Mary Margaret objected, "but that rack you carry isn't exactly the usual Asian build. Might have trouble tucking that in. I'm in a medium, Snow so I'd say, with your curves, a large is about right. Don't remember any black, but I saw a bright purple that would make your eyes even greener."

"Could you...?" Snow asked as she pulled her wallet from her purse and brought out some bills.

"Sure thing! I'll be right back," Skalany said as she darted away after separating a couple of $20 bills from the money Snow offered.

Snow watched a second as Mary Margaret began to poke through piled clothing at the booth and then turned back to find Jody grinning at her. "What?"

"Nothing really. Just thinking what Kermit will say about you in one of those. Nice to know he behaves like a regular guy sometimes."

Snow grinned back at her. "He's all man, trust me." Then, as she caught sight of him talking with his boss, Captain Simms, she added, "Sometimes, annoyingly so."

Jody turned to see what she was looking at and murmured, "That's business, trust me. I remember what it was like before...you. His body language was very different when he'd talk with her. And, if it's any consolation, the office pool had more bets on the 'not going to happen' side."

Snow opened her mouth a second, but thought the better before she spoke. Somehow, Jody must have known what she wanted to ask. "I put my buck on the 'Not.' As much as I understand what it's like to be attracted to someone you work with, any fool could see she was the one who was in pursuit. He was just going along with it, Snow."

"That's pretty much what he told me," Snow admitted. "But if he doesn't bring that carton of food over here in about a minute, I'll be the one in pursuit."

Their quiet conversation was disrupted by loud, angry voices that cut through the noisy fair like a dragon's roar. Across the street, they could see several young men involved in a shoving match, apparently having something to do with a pretty girl who stood back watching the fray she'd caused with some glee. "Great," muttered Jody as she opened her jacket to better access her gun and badge. "Guess I'd better go to work. Back in a few."

Jody hadn't gotten more than two steps into the street before a gun barked out loudly, twice. Instantly, the street became chaos. Snow saw one of the young men, almost a boy, clutch his abdomen and fall to his knees. The EMT instinct kicked in and she moved towards him as dozens of people ran past her from the center of the ruckus.

Jody was still ahead of her, now running and out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Kermit on an angled course that would intersect with her. Most likely trying to stop her from helping, Snow thought grimly. If the shot was too low, it was probably already too late to do anything, but she would have to try and even her husband's objections wouldn't stop her from doing her job.

She wasn't prepared for the arm that reached out and swept her into its embrace.

The boy with the gun stared her in the face for just seconds before he pulled her around to use her as a shield. Snow stopped breathing as he put the gun to her head and called out something in Chinese. Her first thought was that Kermit was going to be really angry with her. If she survived.

The adrenaline that had started coursing through her the second she saw the victim drop was making her heart pound and now, held in abeyance, her body began to tremble involuntarily with the strong 'fight or flight' instinct. She could elbow her captor with the hope he'd be surprised enough to let her go..or possibly die in an instant if his finger slipped on that trigger.

Snow held as still as her quaking knees would permit, hoping the boy would think she was too frozen with fear to cooperate. She could see several members of the 101st fanning out around them, taking up positions to block the gunman's escape. Simms had a hand on Kermit's arm and Snow could see her saying something to him. The carton of food he'd had was gone, most likely dropped in the excitement, but he hadn't pulled his gun yet although his companions on either side of him had. At least if she died, no doubt Blake or Broderick would stop any further mayhem.

The boy held her tighter, his arm locked around her neck and took a few steps, dragging her to the sidewalk she'd just abandoned; the sidewalk where Kermit had left her, telling her not to move. He seemed to be edging them towards an alleyway that Snow guessed probably led to the maze of back ways a Chinatown youngster would be familiar with. Once there, he'd be gone in a flash, after he'd disposed of his unnecessary shield, one way or another.

Then, there came a small sound from behind them."Ahem."

The boy turned, taking Snow with his movement and they saw what looked like a street girl leaned back casually against the building, one heel hooked on a bit of decorative masonry and her knee bent to show an expanse of trim thigh. "Hi, sugar! Need a date?" asked Mary Margaret brightly. "Oh, I see you have one. But you won't need a gun with me. Just a couple of these," she continued, winking and waving the bills Snow had given her.

"You crazy, lady?" the boy asked incredulously. "Get outta here!"

Tucking the money behind her ear like a flower, Skalany straightened up and sauntered over closer. "Well, yeah, a little maybe. Mom thinks so anyway, but I've got a quota to fill, ya know. I don't come home wit' the cash and my guy gets ticked.

The gun moved from her temple and was aimed at Mary Margaret instead. "I said get outta here, crazy lady!" the gunman screamed.

She stopped and held both hands in the air. "So, you're low on cash, I give you a deal."

Snow could see a gleam in her eye. She'd gotten the gun off Snow's head as she obviously intended--by putting herself in the line of fire, but still improving the situation a bit.

Swinging the gun around, the boy waved at the police who faced him. "Put your guns down. Now, or I blow one of these two chicks away. I only need one."

Immediately, Blake and Broderick set their guns slowly down on the ground in front of them. Snow could see Jody across the street still bent over the youngster who'd been shot. The girl who had been at the center of the fracas stood by, sobbing now, clinging to a couple of friends.

Neither Simms nor Kermit had drawn their guns and Simms moved forward a bit, empty hands held where the boy was sure to see them. "Hold on now, son," Simms started.

"Stop!" ordered the boy. "Stay where you are!"

"I'm stopping. I'm standing right here," Simms answered. "I just wanted to talk to you and I didn't want to have to yell. Can I move forward just a bit so you can hear me better?"

Simms was speaking quietly on purpose, Snow realized. She'd heard the Captain ream a few of her team a time or two and knew the tiny woman could project her voice as far as needed. Obviously it was a ruse to get the boy to let her closer.

Snow had been watching Kermit who had taken a step further away from Simms, as if keeping her out of his line of sight. Or fire, even though he still hadn't drawn a gun that she could see. His face was expressionless, but she could tell from the tenseness in his jaw that he was stretched to about his limit. Had her Shaolin senses still been intact, she probably could have read what were no doubt some fierce emotions, but in her burned-out state she was helpless. Then she saw him mouth her name and came alert. He was planning something. He tapped his glasses briefly, almost as if pushing them up, which she read as 'keep your eyes on me.' Or at least she hoped that's what he meant.

"You stay put," the boy commanded. "Say your say from there."

"All right. I have to tell you that we can't just let you go. I think you know that," Simms told him. "but we can help you if you'll let us. What you do from here on in will matter a great deal to what eventually will happen to you."

The boy took his gun off Simms where he'd been pointing it and gestured back towards Skalany. "I got me all the power, lady. You got nothing."

"Actually, that's not quite true," said Blake mildly, as the boy shifted his attention to the innocuous-looking man."We have a Kermit."

"A what?"

The arm clenched over her shoulder had begun to ease a bit as the boy was feeling his power and as the detectives distracted him, it slackened even more, although the hand with the gun was still pointed at Skalany.

Broderick spoke up this time, pulling the boy's attention even further away from the two women he held captive. "Oh, yeah. That's all we need these days. Just let one loose and it's good-bye crime. You'd better think about making a deal while you can."

The boy was shifting his gaze frantically, from face to face, trying to figure out what they could possibly mean. Centering back on Broderick he snarled, "What the hell are you talking about?"

He no more than got the words out, when Kermit roared, "Snow! DROP!"

She'd been waiting for it, watching him intently. On his order, she did as he'd taught her to and went totally limp. The unexpected weight caused the boy to stagger slightly as Snow slipped down, out of his grasp. Instead of looking for danger, his attention went to his victim.

It was all Kermit needed.

Without bothering to take the time to lift his gun, he shot from the hip, catching the boy on the wrist with precision. The weapon went flying from the boy's hand as he screamed in pain, only to be snagged by a diving Skalany. Snow hugged the pavement--the next step in the moves her husband had wisely taken time to teach her and she didn't move as Broderick and Simms both stepped over her to apprehend their perp. Within seconds, she felt his hands on her, reaching under her to lift her from the cold sidewalk. "You okay, babe?"

Snow scrambled up and into his arms to hug him with all her might. "I'm fine," she assured him, knowing her trembling was belying her words, but needing to say what she knew he needed to hear.

The boy was being tended by Simms and Broderick who had cuffed one of his hands to the back of his belt and were tying a handkerchief around the bloody wrist. He was struggling, shouting and moaning about his arm all at the same time.

Snow released her tight hold, saying, "I should see to his wound," but Kermit pulled her back.

"Not this time, babe. Blake has it called in. Someone on duty will take care of it."

Snow realized as she had gone to move towards the boy, her knees were suddenly shaky and her hands began to sting. She lifted them to check the damage, finding them dirty and a bit scraped. Kermit pulled a clean handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed at them a bit. "I'm no EMT, but I think you'll live," he teased gently.

The boy abruptly began to shout at them, lunging in their direction. "You bastard! What the hell kind of gun was that? You've almost blown my hand off! What kind of cop are you?"

Like lightening, Kermit leaned over to grab the boy by the neck of his shirt and whipped out the Desert Eagle to shove against his temple. Putting his face up close, he grinned, saying, "Hi! I'm Kermit. Be happy I didn't blow your head off, punk."

The kid's eyes got very big and he got very still, letting Blake finish cuffing the injured arm. "See, I told you we had a Kermit," he told the boy.

Simms set one gentle hand on Kermit's wrist, her eyes cold with authority as she said, "We've got him, Detective Griffin. Isn't there something else you should be doing?"

Kermit dropped the kid and, turning back to Snow, tucked the DE back into his waistband. "Come on," he ordered gently, "Let's get you off your feet before you fall over."

"Told you I'm fine," she protested, but let him put his arm around her and gratefully leaned on him as he led her away.

The knees had firmed up some by the time he sat her down at a nearby table in a lantern-lit dining courtyard. He waved Jody over and asked her to stay for a moment while he went to get some more food. Snow noted that Mary Margaret had taken over interviewing the now hysterical girl who'd been at the center of the trouble. "Am I keeping you from doing your job?" she asked Jody.

"No. It's better Skalany talks to her. She didn't have the boy die in her arms, calling for his mama. I'd be too tempted to slap the little witch who deliberately goaded them into that fight."

"Teen-age hormones and guns. It's a bad mix," Snow commented as they watched the emergency crew loading up the body and the still cuffed gunman together in the same ambulance.

One of the EMT's came over to Snow saying, "The Captain wanted me to check on you."

"Just some scraped hands," Snow showed him and he looked them over briefly.

"Let me get you a couple wipes for those. No reason to invite infection," he commented before going back to their rig.

He was finished treating her by the time Kermit got back with Styrofoam cups of tea and soup. The situation had her stomach in knots, but the warmth of the liquids felt comforting and she sipped with real appreciation. She glanced up at Kermit who she realized was watching her with intensity. "I'm really okay," she said quietly, "Stop hovering."

"You'd be hovering if it were me. Deal with it, sweetheart," he said mildly, running soft fingertips along the side of her face.

Perhaps it was the aftermath of the adrenaline rush, but his words and his very public show of affection touched her deeply and she felt the tears welling up. He noticed them and pulled a chair up to sit next to her, putting an arm around her. Jody got up, saying, "I think I'll go see if Mary Margaret got all she needed."

"I'm sorry," Snow apologized to her, between gentle gasps as she held back the deluge that was threatening.

"Normal reaction. I'd be doing it too, if I had a shoulder to cry on."

"Got an extra on this side," Kermit offered as Snow buried her face in his neck, letting his warmth and scent work their magic on her.

"Thanks, maybe later," Jody answered, sincere appreciation in her tone."Don't mellow him too much, Snow. He's too scary when he's acting like a real human being."

"I could shoot you and put you out of your misery instead, Powell," Kermit grumbled.

Jody's gentle laugh made Snow think that perhaps the cop had already managed to tack together some of her tattered emotions. "That's the Kermit we know and love," Jody commented as she walked away.

"Want me to take you home?"

Snow shook her head negatively. "Still have to see the Ancient and I think my appetite will be back shortly."

"Okay. I thought I told you to stay put back there."

"I'm sorry, but I have a job to do."

"You were off-duty."

"So were you. You know we're never really off-duty and it wouldn't have made a bit of difference if I had stayed there, love. I would still have been in his path."

Kermit sighed and held her a bit tighter. "I know. Damn it. I know."

"Want to take me home and lock me in a room to keep me safe?" she asked him, already knowing the answer, but hoping that if he talked it out, he'd have one less pain to hold inside.

"Yes. Damn it, I do. Desperately. But then we'd end up hating each other."

"And probably hating ourselves, too."

"Probably."

Snow sat up and rummaged in her purse until she found an elderly, but serviceable Kleenex and blew her nose. Then they sat in a companionable silence while she finished her soup and tea, watching the fair as it settled back into party mode.

Jody returned with Skalany in her wake. "How're you doing?" she asked kindly.

"Better," Snow acknowledged. "I might even be able to eat something now if I had some more tea," she hinted, smiling at Kermit.

He stood up, asking, "Anyone else as long as I'm playing waiter here?"

"Oh, just like those Chippendales boys!" Mary Margaret grinned.

"Tuck money in my shorts at your own risk, Skalany."

"I'm out of ones. Just some green tea would be nice for me," Mary Margaret answered, sitting down in his chair.

"Coffee, if you can find some," Jody requested, joining them at the table. "Thanks, Kermit."

As he left, Snow said to Skalany, "I think I owe you some thanks for taking the heat off me."

Waving a hand, Mary Margaret said, "Don't mention it. Just my job. Got your dress. Change is in the bag."

Snow took the bag Skalany handed over and peered inside, pulling the contents out a bit to examine it in the lantern lights. It was purple, all right. Deep, jewel-toned silk and thin as a whisper. She smiled thinking how much someone was going to appreciate it and Mary Margaret crowed, "Oh, look at that face! Come on, if you really think you owe us, tell us...is he...any good...you know? Just between us girls."

Snow giggled. "Why Mary Margaret, you know how Kermit feels about people prying into his personal affairs."

Jody laughed, "Does she ever. She was there when Kermit put Peter in a chokehold for....oh, damn. You know, I don't think I can finish this story properly with this great big foot in my mouth!"

"Ah. That would be the spider lady. I heard about that one from both of them."

Jody and Mary Margaret exchanged looks again. It was Jody who spoke up. "I think we owe you an apology."

"Whatever for?" asked Snow, confused.

"For thinking what we've been thinking. That you were some kind of doormat. You headed right to the source of the trouble to do your job without thinking about yourself and when you got grabbed you kept your head. And obeyed a certain someone when it counted. We were ..."

"Being stupid," Skalany finished. "And we're sorry."

Snow was both embarrassed and flattered at the same time. She admired both detectives for their professionalism and liked them for their personalities. They were different as night and day but they both cared deeply about their jobs and about the people they worked with, including her anti-social, sometimes annoying husband. "Thank you for being so honest finally. I know what you thought and it didn't matter to me. Kermit has a past. Take what rumors about him you've heard and triple it at least. He's had a hard time taking a risk with a relationship and I knew what he was like and what he would need me to be before I agreed to this. It looks like he's bullying me, but it's for my own protection, as you can now understand. What you don't understand is that's worth it to me."

"We know for all the glitches in his personal motherboard, Kermit is one of the good guys, Snow," Jody affirmed.

"He's the best backup a cop could ask for," Mary Margaret echoed.

"Thanks. He thinks highly of both of you, too."

Skalany grinned, saying, "So, that personal question you didn't answer...?"

"She won't be answering," Kermit put in as he set down the cups he'd been juggling along with a paper carton of something that smelled delicious.

Snow grinned as she reached to open her dinner box. Time to get in a few licks of her own, she decided. "What I will say is that old adage about looking at a man's hands and feet is in error. Check out the nose instead."

All three of them broke out in a fit of giggles as Kermit frowned at her, pulling a set of wood break-apart chop sticks from his pocket to give her for her dinner. "I know what you're talking about and I think it's disgusting. And beneath you, to boot. Don't you have something better to talk about then my personal attributes?"

Jody smiled up at him. "I had the worst cramps last week...."

"Oh, me too!" Mary Margaret chimed in, "Must be that full moon again."

Kermit looked away for a second as if trying to decide what to say next. "Napkins. I forgot napkins...stay put," he ordered as he walked away and they giggled together again.

It was a good feeling to laugh with friends, Snow thought, with women who could understand the lengths one could go to for a man. And since they'd finally been honest with their feelings, it was almost as if an invisible sheet of something transparently thin but subtly annoying had been stripped away.

"Speaking of Chippendales," Jody said, "Mary Margaret and I were thinking about getting some tickets to that all male revue at The Caravan Club next Saturday night. Strictly business, you understand. Just to make sure they're following code and keeping the gee-strings on. Don't suppose your husband would let you out for a night on the town with the girls, would he?"

"You still don't have this doormat thing quite worked out. I'll 'tell' him I'm going to be out with the girls on Saturday. I've heard the nurses talking about that show and apparently, one of those guys doesn't quite conform to the usual anatomical standards...he has a 'gee-whiz!' string so to speak, by her accounts. Strictly professional EMT curiosity, you understand," Snow grinned.

"Of course!" the two detectives answered in unison, sparking another round of sisterly giggles.

Snow felt a deep sense of satisfaction as she dug back into her carton of stir-fry. It was like finally being asked into the sandbox with the rest of the kiddies.

"So what's he like around the house?" Mary Margaret asked. "Does he like, take out the garbage and stuff?"

"Not exactly," Snow admitted, smirking. "but he did rig up a sub-atomic particle smasher so all I have to do is push a button and, poof, no more garbage."

Jody snickered as Mary Margaret asked, "You're kidding, right? There's no such thing, right? Kidding?"

The end


End file.
